Changing the Elements
by Halikidito
Summary: When Olivia Marx, a former State Alchemist, is transferred to Mustangs team the very nature of the world around them started to shift in to an evil they could hardly begin to comprehend. Loyalties are questioned, lives are shaken, and the lives they've built are slowly starting to crumble from beneath their feet. Where did the time go? Roy/Riza OC/Havoc Ed/Winry
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I would first like to state that I do not own Full Metal Alchemist. I am simply using this story as a form of therapy during my summer break and hope to find some people within the community who actually like my style of writing. I enjoy being as descriptive as humanly possible and will, most likely, drag this story out for as long as I can.

If any reader decides to check out my previous works you'll notice that I haven't written anything in over three years and didn't even give my last story a chance before burning it in to the ground. I am making a promise to myself and the readers of this story that I will stick to this story and update as much as I can. I normally don't have a lot of time on the computer so I normally write in to my handy-dandy notepad and flesh out the details when I get on Microsoft Word.

The story is about my original character Olivia Marx, a young woman attempting to rebuild her life after the Ishvallan War of Extermination. I won't go in to too much detail now because the story will hopefully build her character in to a person you'd want to know more about. Now, before I begin to ramble on about useless trifles, I'll leave you to the beginning of my story.

* * *

Every ounce of pain and sorrow stems from one solitary moment in time

She could feel it in her bones as she stared upon the desolate remains of Ishvall. The lives of the fallen men, women, and children were burning a mark of guilt on her heart and she knew she deserved no reprieve from the anguish she was feeling. The chaos unleashed by her hands had begun its descent in to the confines of her mind and she was justifiably suffering. Closing her eyes, she, shaking as she moved throughout the city, she averted her head towards the ground to avoid the images that were displayed before her. Her mind told her to struggle through the terror, that she was stronger than she actually felt in that moment; her heart, however, had no words of comfort. It etched a terrifying scream in to the back of her mind and rendered her useless. Clutching at the remaining pieces of fabric on her pants she marched throughout the city, no longer a soldier, but a broken woman with no respect for herself. She could feel tears forming around her eyes but wanted, with all her might, to thwart them from trickling down her cheeks. The remorse over what she had done with her alchemy was useless. She had innocent blood on her hands and simply couldn't forgive herself for what her abilities had done.

Her hope was gone. Her legs could no longer hold on to the weight of her transgressions. Though she tried with all her might to stop them from breaking her tears of guilt flowed from her eyes and struck the earth beneath her knees. Ceasing her walk of shame, she drew her knees in to the muddied soil beneath her and fiercely clawed her hands in to the dirt. Tormenting both her body and her mind she scratched at it until her hands were drenched in the bloodied remains beneath the surface.

"I know were monsters," she replied, as if answering some unknown entity. Quickly, she opened her eyes and turned to look at the bloodied remains of a nearby building. Before the extermination had begun she assumed that ruble she now looked upon had a far more generous appeal than it did while she stared at it. She imagined a number of people crowding around without a care in the world and hardly had time to think of her actions when her mouth drew out a frightened sob. To make matters worse God, if he existed, chose to direct her eyes towards a figure nearby the carnage. It was a child. Though the child appeared to be dead she wanted to be sure so, as fast as her legs could crawl, she suffered the distance and painfully headed towards the source of her sorrows. "We deserve death," she said, her words hitching as the distance grew closer with every painstaking minute. "We deserve to die but death will wait for us."

Her shaken words echoed through the silent streets as she neared the figure. By then she could faintly make out a long head of hair holding from beneath the rubble. Grinding her teeth, she pounded her fists in to the ground. The Alchemy she had once treasured had been the source of their pain. Had she known that all her hard work and all the hours spent harnessing her abilities would lead her to this destruction then she never would've joined the academy. She had goals and dreams then. Now, the only goal she had was to reach this young girl and hopefully find her alive. With every nearing inch her eyes took in more of the girls features. What was possibly once a rambunctious child running through the streets was now a frightened little girl lying face down in the sand. A fresh pool of blood had formed around her body. It was a sad sight to behold as she crawled up to the girl and noticed the remains of a worn-out teddy bear lying beside her frail body. How could a child so small deserve such cruelty? Why had all this happened? Checking for a pulse, she tossed the debris aside with a surge of power from her hand and turned the young girl over to look at her injuries. Her eyes shot out in surprise as she noticed the blood that had begun to stream down the child's forehead. As it slowly trickled down towards the young girls neck she silently looked in to the girl's eyes and sobbed. She wasn't dead but, due to the amount of blood she was losing, she would fall prey to its sweet release in a matter of moments.

Cupping the young girl's cheek, she stared in to the girl's eyes and looked for some sign of life. The child's red eyes slowly drew focus on to her surroundings until she noticed the hands upon her face. Looking up to face the blue pools of darkness before her she drew out a thin attempt at a scream but nearly passed out from the effort as the hands cradling her softly patted her back. By the look of things, the child seemed old enough to comprehend the reality behind her situation because, in a matter of moments, she gave up her attempts and softly cried in to the woman's arms. Even though she rested in the enemy's hands she had no reason to run. At such a young age the will to live had been snubbed from this young girl's eyes. She no longer saw a young little girl. She saw the remains of a desperate human being clinging on to the remaining minutes of her life. She didn't deserve any of it. This was all her fault.

"All you did was exist," she said, her voice shaking with every word. Placing her forehead gently against the dying child, she allowed her grief to slowly take over her body as she sobbed along with the girl. Her body shook with a fierceness she'd never felt before, as if the flames from within her body were slowly consuming her mind as she cried. Within her sobs she searched within her mind for a way to lessen the suffering that had occurred that day. Using her Alchemy had gotten her in to this mess and knew within her heart that she had to be the one to end everything. Sighing, she withdrew from the child and gently laid her pale body on the ground. "You shouldn't have had to make this sacrifice," she continued, her arms reaching for the young girl's toy. Safely tucking it between her arm, she painted her hand with the blood atop the girl's head and drew a transmutation circle around her body. Her wounds were too severe to mend with just her powers alone so she knew she'd half to settle with what she was about to do.

A rustle of wind and earth slowly formed around the girl, as if mother nature herself had understood the motives behind her actions. With the last hints of sunlight burning in to her skin she completed the array she'd formed around the girl and, staring in to her terror-struck eyes, began to sob uncontrollably as the dirt quickly spiraled around her body. Standing there before the girl she allowed her emotions to run wild as the storm raging around them began to consume their bodies. Kneeling to the ground, she hovered over the girl and placed her hands above her stomach.

"I WON'T LET YOUR DEATH BE IN VAIN!" she cried. After a moment of deliberation, she pressed the palms of her hands in to the young girl's stomach and watched as the blue hues of energy consumed them both. The coursing waves of electricity shook inside the child and jolted throughout the woman's body.

"Give me your pain. Give me the deaths of your people! I will carry the weight of our sins in to the depths of my mind and body. Give me your sorrow!" After uttering the last syllable, the energy coursing through her veins pushed her away from the child and began to dig her back in to the ground beneath her. The storm had begun to consume her body but, for a moment, she noticed the content expression the young girl's face as her world plunged in to darkness. She had succeeded. In pain, she cried out as a shot of energy coursed in to her body and stuck at her like a thousand blades piercing live flesh. She felt as though she couldn't breathe in the clean air she'd once felt before she'd attempted this feat. She wanted to regret what she had done but knew that she had to do this. The tormented souls of the fallen Ishvallan's would never rest until she lay beaten on the ground with the weight of each and every death rushing through her body. They deserved at least this much.

The storm raged on. Her screams echoed through the city, a fitting eulogy for the lives she helped destroy.

"I am your vessel," she screamed, her eyes closed and her body writhing in pain. Curling in to herself, she held on to her stomach in attempt to ease the torture that shook her body. She had to force herself to endure this. If she ceased her actions, then the lives she'd taken would be lost forever in the forgotten ashes of time and she couldn't allow that to happen. This was her punishment and she was ready for it.

"Rest in peace!"

Then,

Her world,

Faded,

In to darkness.


	2. The beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own full metal alchemist

I can't believe I actually wrote this much! I normally don't even make it to the second chapter when I write a story so yay me! I really hope the people who read this story actually like my style of writing.

Also, reviews will really help me in the long run. I want to make this story as good as possibly so any criticism can help. As always, have a great day and a good read!

* * *

It was a simple work day for most at Central Command. Officers quietly sat at their seats filing through the paperwork they'd received that day. The melody of birds chirping outside stood as the only music in the halls that day as Roy Mustang and his lieutenant, Riza Hawkeye, silently trekked through the hallway outside their office. By the content look on Roy's face he seemed to be in at least a decent mood at the moment. Currently, there were no looming threats and, since the battle with Father was nearly two years behind them the art of fighting on the battlefield seemed like a distant memory. Though they weren't necessarily using their skills at the moment they still found ways to keep in shape. Riza had her gun range and Roy spent a great deal of free time working his body out without the use of his Flame Alchemy. The system they had in place, as it stood, was running rather smoothly. However, the look of worry on Roy's face as they slowly walked down the hall had Riza somewhat startled.

"Is everything alright, sir?" she asked. She silently rubbed his back as he let out a soft chuckle. Shaking his head, he scratched at the stubble forming on his chin as a thin smile formed on his lips.

"I'm just thinking about our new recruit." He replied. Sighing, he winced his eyes for a moment as the glaring sun beamed through the blinds as they passed by a window.

"Miss Olivia Marx," she asked. Nodding his head, he hurried his pace down the hallway in an attempt to cast off the annoying rays of light that were beating in to his face. Riza quickly matched his steps and, within moments, was beside him again. She playfully patted him on the shoulder as they walked together. Luckily, for her, the width of his body kept her hidden from the glaring beams of heat radiating through the blinds. Riza could tell, based on his childish disposition at the moment, that he wasn't okay with her playfulness around him. Rolling his eyes, he guarded his face from the light and composed himself as he stared at his lieutenant.

"The light is unbearable," he stated as he rubbed his gloved hands against his eyes.

"It'll be dark soon. We can at least be thankful for that," she replied as her eyes darted towards the end of the hall. "Plus the added bonus of having another woman on our team will hopefully be a blessing in disguise." Roy chuckled.

"If she's as good as Mason says she is then we'll have no problem assimilating her in to our group of men." He said.

Two weeks prior they'd received a notice from Grumman stating that they'd be receiving a transfer from the east wing of their division. At first Roy rejected the idea of adding a rookie to his team but, upon further investigation, learned that the "rookie" in question wouldn't need an ounce of training in regards to what they do on a daily basis. Roy knew enough about the woman to understand that her name, Olivia Marx, was one to respect without question. Roy knew enough from the letter to, without question, respect the Fuhrer's decision to transfer her to his team. Though it didn't go in to great detail about her history he'd heard enough rumors about her to make a few small assumptions.

"Mason isn't the man I take orders from," he replied, his ears listening to the faint steps of hers as she walked behind him. "Grumman seems to think she'd be good for the team." She nodded in agreement and, as a smirk formed on her lips, brushed a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. Familiar with the look on her lips, as she was known to smirk when a devious thought was forming in her head, Roy decided to question the very ideas that were swimming around in his lieutenant's mind.

"What's with the look on your face?" he asked, his nose twitching in response to the sunlight that trickled down his face. Frowning, he rubbed at his face and sighed. "I've seen a similar look on your face before. Should I be worried?" For a moment, it almost seemed as though Riza started to laugh but, before any frivolity could consume her spirits, she drew in to herself and, in as stoic a manner as possible, shook her head.

"No sir." A hint of an amused expression played through her eyes and, as she stared down the narrow path before them, decided to continue her thoughts on the matter at hand. "My grandfather is certainly a good judge of character. However, since we're adding another woman to our team, I'm almost certain she'll drive some of the men to distraction." She stifled a chuckle as she watched her commanding officer slow his steps and shrug his shoulders.

"That's just what we need, another brainless idiot for Havoc to pine over" he said. The irritation in his voice was obvious as he spoke to her. He didn't need a woman flaunting about the office and flirting with his men. He'd judge for himself once he met her but knew that if she brought her womanly attitude to work with her then he'd have to restrain his men -mainly Havoc- from the trivialities that would follow upon her arrival. Tilting her head to the side, Riza lost herself in to a thought that would surely rattle his brain if voiced. She still had a need to tease him so she placed a hand upon his shoulder and smiled.

"So, are you saying that all female officers are brainless idiots?" she asked. Startled, Roy quickly shook his head and sighed in to himself.

"Of course not," he said. He could tell he was being backed in to a corner but felt the need to explain himself before the teasing became too much for him to bear. "I meant to say…you're not a brainless…what I mean is…." He continued to fumble with his words as he attempted to convey his thoughts. He wanted to come out of this unscathed but was fruitless in his efforts. Shifting his eyes to the floor he folded his arms around himself and stayed in that position for a while before looking back up at her.

"You aren't an idiot. You're aren't even in the same class as most of the women here at Central. I merely wanted to say that the women here, despite the fact that they are officers and should be respected as such, are still women and, _not including you in this scenario at all_ , tend to flirt with the men a little too much for my taste." He said. He'd tried to leave Riza out of the picture entirely while voicing his opinions but only fueled her need to play with his emotions a little more.

"Why am I not included, sir." Adding the sir for good measure nearly sent Roy over the edge as they walked down the hallway. He knew she'd only asked the question to continue the exchange that they were momentarily engaged in but, for the life of him, he wanted it stop. He knew she was just as much a woman as the rest of the officers that worked around them but never felt a need to compare her to them. As he stated earlier, she was in an entirely different class above all the other female officers at Central. She composed herself well enough around him on a daily basis that he never even had the time to notice just how much of a woman she actually was. Or, perhaps, as he silently focused on the thoughts that were pushing in to his head, he feared the thought of looking at her that way. He wouldn't know what to do with himself if he ever did. Instead of giving her an honest answer, he sternly looked in to her eyes and scoffed.

"Let's stop with the Teasing, Lieutenant." He said.

"Whatever you say, sir."

They walked in silence for the remainder of their trip until they reached a flight of stairs that led to the second floor of the building. Their motive for today's journey was one of great importance. They were, per Grumman's request, to report to Olivia's current commanding officer, Colonel Edward Mason, and sign over her transfer files. It was a necessary evil, one that Roy hated with a passion; but, he knew that matters such as this were what kept the ship from sinking. He never like the mounds of paperwork he had to finish each day but understood the need for it but, according to him, the endless reports would always be a task better suited for men and women with the patience for it. In fact, if Grumman hadn't explicitly stated in his letter that he had to show up to this meeting, he would've had the files transferred to his office and signed them at his desk.

"Sir, it's time for us to meet with the Colonel" Riza began. With one hand on the rails leading up to the stairs, she stared down at her commanding officer and motioned for him to follow her. She didn't have time to wait on him to actually act his age and, if she could help it, didn't want to drag him up the stairs. "We don't have all day," she continued as she reached for the hem of his sleeve. "I hope I don't have to force you." Scoffing, he quickly darted his hand way from hers before she could even tug on the fabric of his shirt and grabbed ahold of his hand.

"I'm not a child Riza." He said.

"Then I suggest you stop acting like one, sir." She was still his subordinate and made sure to respectfully reply to his defiant response. Rolling his eyes, Roy quickly climbed the stairs and drew past Riza in an attempt to avoid staring in to her stern eyes. Before he got too far away from her he looked down in her direction and sighed, his temper slowly dropping as he looked at the image before him. She hadn't moved from her position. With one hand on her stomach she fell in to a fit of laughter that, at the moment, only his eyes could witness. She knew she'd struck a nerve in him but didn't know just how fragile his ego could be when faced with someone who could easily out maneuver him in every possible way.

"I'm sorry sir," she began, slightly composing herself as she slowly made her way up to him. "I'll stop teasing you." Laughing with her, he placed a hand over his head and let out a brief yawn before climbing the remaining steps between them and Mason's office.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. You seem to be on a roll today." He said as they walked up to a door reading "Mason 205". A hint of a smirk formed on his lips as he slightly rapped against its wooden frame.

"I was never on a roll sir. According to my commanding officer I'm an entirely different class of woman, so I assume my abilities to tease fall in to that category." She replied.

"They most certainly do." A rumble at the door startled him for a moment before it opened before the two of them and revealed a young woman staring directly at them. For a moment she had no words to describe the shock on her face as she took in the appearance of the people staring back at her. She obviously wasn't prepared to have this happen today and was at a loss for words when confronted with the reality before her.

"Hello," she finally said as she walked them inside. "You must be Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye. Colonel Mason wasn't expecting you to arrive so soon."

The office appeared to be quite disheveled with many books and folders scattered about the floor. Both Riza and Roy watched in shock as the woman before them attempted to set some of the books to one side of the room to clear a path for them to Mason's desk near the end of it. There was a weary look in her eyes as she picked up a few of the files off the ground. With the files neatly pressed against her chest, she walked to a nearby trash can and threw them away.

"Mason's a bit of a procrastinator and, since most of our unit disbanded three months ago, he's had to do most of the work on his own." She said.

"Most of the work?" Roy asked as the woman sat herself down at the desk adjacent to Mason's.

"Transferring all the files to your office."

Roys jaw fell to the floor as he looked at the room once more and, in shock, realized that he'd be loathing himself for the rest of the day. It seemed as though he was getting more than just a new recruit, more like he was adding an entire wing to his unit.

"All of this has to come with us?" he asked, his eyes still slightly holding a hint of disbelief on his frozen face. "How do you expect to fit all of this in my office?" he asked. He was growing a bit irritated now as he kicked at a few of the folders on the ground. To his surprise, the girl shook her head and grabbed for the files before he could unleash his frustrations on to them.

"Most of the reports are trash," she began as she filed through the documents. Rolling her eyes, she chucked them in the trash along with a few other strips of paper before a yawn escaped from her lips. "We're simply weeding out the trash and saving the files that are actually important for you."

"And just who might you be?" he asked, his eyes still scanning the room. He could feel the beginning of a migraine settling itself inside his head. He had no desire to be here longer than they had to be. As far as he was concerned Mason could hand him the documents whenever he damn well pleased, just as long as he could finish out the day and sign the recruit over to his team. In one quick motion the girl rushed over to Roy and shook out her hand, a smile gracing her lips as she saluted them both with the other.

"First Lieutenant Olivia Marx, sir," she said. Though she wanted to seem slightly serious with her words a soft giggle slipped through the cracks as she finished her salutation. Noticing Roy's hands firmly placed at his sides, she reached out for them and shook them herself. Roy simply stood there in shock as he witnessed the entire scene take place. This woman looked nothing like any of the female officers they'd encountered and even disregarded her uniform all together by wearing hear civilian clothes. To shorten the description, she looked like she didn't belong her.

"You're Olivia Marx?" he asked. He could only muster that one phrase, seeing as he was at a loss for words at the moment.

"Yes sir," she said as she let go of his hands. "I've been with Colonel Mason for as long as I can remember. In fact, if you add it all up, I've been under his command for thirteen years."

Roy searched her eyes for a moment and noticed, yet again, the tired expression forming around her eyes. Judging by what she'd said he could at least make out that she was loyal to her commanding officer. Roy stiffened himself and, while placing his hands behind his back, heaved his chest and began to study the woman before him. She didn't seem too young and, seeing as though she had at least served the military for thirteen years, could make out that she was, quite possibly, around the same age as he and the lieutenant. Her eyes were weary but within them he saw an expression he hadn't seen in a very long time. She looked happy. For some unknown reason, she had a satisfied expression on her face that was hard to comprehend. He decided not to think about that too much. The color of her hair also startled him for a moment as he his eyes drew in the blue locks of hair that barely fell to her shoulders. She didn't look like a soldier and, based on that thought alone, he wondered how such a woman would fair in his unit. He'd wanted to ask her a few questions but before he could muster even a single word Colonel Mason pulled up behind him and patted him on the back.

"Well if it isn't good ol' Roy Mustang!" Mason cried as he playfully punched him on the arm. "How the hell are you doing my boy!"

"About as good as can be expected Mason. The Lieutenant and I just recently arrived." He stated as Mason walked to his desk and sat down. Laughing, Mason motioned for Olivia stand beside him and sit down.

"I see you've met Olivia." He stated as he brushed some paper in to the floor. "So, Colonel, what do you make of her?"

"Nothing yet. I haven't had enough time to talk to her." Roy didn't have time for this. Roy figured Mason wanted to draw this out as long as humanly possible and the thought of staying in this stuffy room aggravated him beyond belief. Noticing his irritation, Mason sunk in to the chair and sighed. He rarely every had company but knew that Roya was a busy man.

"Well," Mason began as he reached his coat pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "I believe you and the lieutenant are here for this." Unfolding the paper, he spread it out on the desk and pointed near the end of it. "Just sign here and this lady over here is all your." Throughout the exchange the two of the failed to notice Olivia's saddened expression as Roy signed the document. She simply stood there and attempted to fake a smile while Mason slowly rubbed her arm. Since she'd been with him for so long she'd grown rather fond of his existence in her life. He was like family to her. As senile as he was, he was the only family she had. She'd lost he mother and father when she was just a little child and, forced to live with her Aunt and Uncle, lived out her days in Resembol until she was old enough to go to join the military. She didn't know how to work without Mason by her side but knew, without question, she'd have to suck it up and move forward.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Lieutenant," Roy said as he slid the transfer slip in to his pocket. Olivia nodded her head and silently watched as both Riza and Roy left the room in one quick motion.

Everything was going to change.


	3. Apologies

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist. I own the rights to Olivia Marx, Colonel Mason, and Zumi.

I'm back with another chapter. I can't get enough of this story. It's a little slow paced at the moment but it'll pick up soon. I want to make sure everyone knows my character well enough to relate to her.

I want to thank the people who are actually reading this story. Even though you aren't reviewing it I am happy enough knowing that someone is actually looking at the words I've written.

Well, as always, happy reading!

Olivia walked away from her former office that day with many thoughts running through her head. Though it wasn't an ideal meeting she met her new commanding officer and his first lieutenant and was relieved to have accomplished that goal. She wasn't overly fond of meeting new people and was glad to have "bitten the bullet" on that matter. Though her former commanding officer still had quite a bit of documents to collect for her transfer to Mustang's unit, she still had to carry on her life outside her military duties at Central and had no desire to walk in to work the next day with bags under her eyes from all overtime she'd have if she stayed.

Walking down a flight of stairs nearby she noticed the slew of officers scurrying about the hallway in a mad attempt to retreat for the day. Laughing, she brushed away a stray hair from her face and made her way towards the madness. This, to her, was quite possibly the most exciting part of her day. She would always make her way to the front desk to clock out and would, on most days, attempt to have conversations with the officers walking by. Though some of them would shrug her off and, more times than none, make a bee line for the exit, she'd have a few that would stay and indulge in a little small talk. Luckily, for her, the clerk at the desk was a close friend of hers so she at least knew that the conversation today would be decent.

"Olivia," the brown-haired clerk replied as her eyes darted towards a male officer who'd given her a playful wink. "Are there any decent men here at central?" With a defeated look on her face, she waved a fellow female officer goodbye and turned to face her friend leaning against the counter. "All these losers ever want is what's under these stuffy uniforms."

"Well," Olivia replied, her eyes somewhat lost in her thoughts about the matter. "I wouldn't say they aren't decent men, just misguided." She looked at the clerk and noticed that, while she had been speaking, her friends' eyes had darted towards an officer walking out of a nearby restroom. In a matter of moments, the defeat in her eyes had been replaced with one of sheer adoration. He had this cover boy look about him as he chatted away with some of the female attendants nearby and was certain her mother, god rest her soul, could smell his cologne from her grave. She sighed. "Besides," she continued, almost of disgusted with how obvious her friend was when the officer walked by and gave them a nod. "You fall for it hook, line, and sinker every time Zumi."

"I do not!" she exclaimed as her eyes focused back on Olivia's. "You have to give me more credit than that."

"Please," Olivia retorted as she filed away at a loose nail on her finger. She could almost sense the anger that was rising in her friend as she stared in to her eyes but didn't really care too much about it. They'd been having conversations like this for years now so it wasn't unusual for either one of them to do a little teasing. "You always tell me that the men around here are pigs but are just as bad as they are."

"I am…." Before she could finish her words, Olivia interrupted her.

"Don't try tell me I'm wrong. I've known you long enough to know that you have unrealistic ideals when it comes to finding a perfect man." Smirking, she tilted her hand and drew a sour face in front of her friend before resting her elbows on top of the counter. "Just face it Zumi, the perfect man doesn't exist and probably never will. If you spend your whole life waiting for Mr. Right to come along then you'll miss out on all the other possibilities in front of you." Sighing, Zumi plopped her head against the desk in defeat and faintly began to whimper.

"I guess you're right Olivia," she began as she stood up from her chair and grabbed the coat that was resting on top of it. "But," she continued as she drew her arms around Olivia and sniggered. "That still doesn't explain why you haven't found a man. When was the last time you went on a date?" Blushing, Olivia froze for a moment before pushing her friend away.

"It's been a while."

"Define a while," Zumi asked as the two of them made their way to the exit. They walked in silence for a moment or two before Olivia replied.

"Honestly, I can't even remember," she replied, slightly irritated with her friends nagging behavior at the moment. She didn't like talking about her personal life and, even though she could normally tell her friend everything, was always uncomfortable talking about her love life. "I work too much to have a love life." Her friend looked a little agitated with her response but knew that getting at least that much out her was a feat in itself.

"It's always work with you Olivia," she said as they walked outside. They stood outside for a moment before walking toward the path that led to the gated exit nearby. "To me, it sounds like you need to take some of your own advice and use it on yourself." Olivia didn't want this conversation to linger so, in defeat, she nodded her head.

"Perhaps you're right." She replied. Once they reached the gate they parted ways leaving Olivia slightly flustered as she walked home. There were so many things in her life that she'd kept hidden from everyone, things that she could never explain and, honestly, didn't need to talk about. She'd lied earlier when she'd said she didn't remember her last date. She could remember it like the palm of her hand and each time she recalled that memory it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She'd loved once before, before joining the military, and it was her decision to enlist that drove her lover away. She could've had a normal life but now all those memories were too far from her reach to even care about.

Before she could resign herself to the thoughts that kept her up most nights, she noticed a certain blonde-haired lieutenant sitting down on a nearby bench with a dog sitting idly underneath her legs. She appeared to be reading a newspaper but had taken a break from the pages for a moment so she could pat her dog on the head.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," Olivia replied as she stopped in front of her. "How are you doing today?"

Without warning, the dog pushed through Riza's legs and jumped on top of Olivia. Slightly surprised by the events that had unfolded, Olivia awkwardly patted the dog on the back while Riza reprimanded him for his insubordination. "Well," she continued as she took a seat next to her. "That was a little unexpected."

"He gets that way around strangers," she replied as she tied his leash to the arm rest. "I'm doing fine by the way."

"That's good to know," she said, attempting to joke with her as she looked at the headline of the paper she'd been reading. She could vaguely make out a few of the words in it like "Rebel forces" and "Uprising in the North" before losing the sight all together when Riza folded it and packed it away in to her handbag.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye," she began, her eyes piercing the ground below.

"Yes Lieutenant Marx."

"I'd like to apologize for earlier. It was embarrassing for you and the Colonel to have to see the office like that."

She was indeed saddened by the fact that the first impression Mustang had of her wasn't a very good one. She didn't want him to see her as lazy and incompetent, a quality she actually despised among all others. In all honesty, she didn't want to have had to deal with the meeting in the first place but, per Grumman's request, was forced in to it. She was content with the ways things were but knew in her heart that the peace she'd had in that small unit couldn't last forever; there it was again, losing herself to the thoughts that consumed her mind each and every day as if she couldn't escape the unyielding uncertainty inside herself. She hadn't planned on displaying herself in such a manner in front of Riza but almost couldn't help herself as the nervousness inside her body started to swell.

As if she could sense her nerves, Riza patted her on the arm and shook her head. It was more than enough to snap her back to the reality that was placed before her and almost let out a nervous giggle as she playfully swatted her dog on the ear.

"You have nothing to apologize for. You can't blame yourself for your Colonels lack of organization." Olivia nodded her head and stifled a laugh as she recalled how aggravated Mason was upon learning he'd have to transfer all of his documents to Mustangs unit.

"I think his age is finally catching up to him," Olivia replied. He was pushing seventy and, according to some, would soon have to retire. He'd long since given up on traveling to the countries that bordered Amestris and would, on occasion, send her in his stead.

"I've heard rumors that they might disband your unit altogether." She replied as her eyes drifting towards the falling sun. "By the looks of things it won't take much. If it was just you and the Colonel near the end, how many did you have before?"

"There were seven of us," she replied, her thoughts focused on the people she used to work with. "Three months ago the Fuhrer decided to transfer most of our men to the north to train under General Armstrong. A few stayed here in central but were moved to a different unit but I never had a note until just recently."

"Why general Armstrong," she asked with a curious look in her eyes.

"The Fuhrer said the men of central needed to learn how to act like men, so he decided to transfer the men who needed the training the most which, apparently included most of Masons brigade." Sighing, Riza nodded her head in agreement that the statement that had been made. Her own mind wandered towards the men the two of the would have to work with in the morning.

"I can't say ours are any better. Do you think Armstrong has room for a few more recruits?"

"That bad, huh?"

"I think I'm the only one capable of getting any work done in the office." A faint tone of aggravation slipped in to her tone as she spoke and Olivia couldn't help but laugh in to herself.

"Well," she began as a yawn escaped her lips. "I'll at least be there to lighten the load. I don't slack off like most of the men around here."

"I swear, if the women of central had their own team, we'd certainly give these men a run for the money."

"I'd pay money to see that."

"So tell me Lieutenant, what do I need to know about the Colonel? Is there anything you should warn me about? Olivia turned to look at the watch on her wrist and realized she'd soon have to leave. It was nearing six o'clock and she'd promised herself she'd go on a jog before dark.

"The colonel isn't as strict as he makes himself out to be," she replied, her eyes drawing in some humor as she untied the leash and wrapped it around her hand. "I've known the colonel for a long time and have been under his command ever since the Ishvallan War. He's probably just as bad as your former commander, if now worse, so be prepared for extra piles of paperwork every day. Also, if you ever see me with my gun raised in the air, cover your ears. I have to threaten them with it every now and then."

Rising from the bench, she patted her dog on the head once more before saying her goodbyes and continuing down the road. Olivia sat there a moment thinking about how interesting tomorrow would be. She was slightly nervous but honestly was also excited about meeting these new people and hopefully making some new friends. She doubted that would be the case but, for some reason, felt as though something good was about to happen.

Little did she know, everything would soon change. Her life was hanging in the balance, a thread so thin it could snap at any given moment.


	4. Shadows

Disclaimer: Don't own it

I've done it again! I have a brand new chapter! I don't have many reviews but I won't let that discourage me. I'm going very slow with this story and really want you to relate to the characters I create. I really hope you guys like what I'm writing.

Please, give me some criticism. I haven't written in over three years and really want to improve my writing. Any criticism can help. I'm at least happy to see that people are reading it.

Enjoy the read!

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In the darkest corners of the world lay a bridge to the other side, a universe where nightmares are free to roam and explore their surroundings. All that exists in this terrifying place are the remains of the men and women who gave these nightmares life and now, in this pain, are the tortuous screams inside its endless domain. It is chaos in its purest form though, somehow, within this darkness there is window to the outside world most can never see. The regrets and sins of the wounded reside here but one soul could still see the light shining through and took its chance to escape, a chance to reclaim everything stolen from it. Ruthless eyes and a murderous look upon its face are all that motivate it to run towards this light; as it did, the hatred consuming its body dripped from its essence in a disgusting manner, so much that it was almost painful to watch the nearing light illuminate its features. It was a formless entity, a spirit long lost to time and space but the emotions it conveyed were real and they were dangerous.

 _"_ _I've waited for years," it replied, hissing through its teeth as it spoke. "I am not satisfied with my existence."_

Its formless body shook and as it did the darkness that formed around it fought to escape its chains, as if it were playing a game of tug of war on all sides of the spectrum. As it twisted and pulled its way from the center a small crimson light was visible. A large source of power resonated from this light, so powerful it could barely be contained inside the darkness that consumed it but for some reason it couldn't escape, as if it was waiting for the right moment to move its pieces. This light was somehow separate from the darkness yet one with it in some unusual way, as if it needed the darkness for its plans.

 _"_ _We have to wait to make our move," the light said, glowing even brighter as the darkness spiraled around it. "The pieces are finally coming together. She has yet to understand her true self."_

 _"_ _The alchemist?" the darkness asked, almost shaking as it asked its question. "I want her body…I need a human body again."_

The fury it had inside its soul was painfully obvious as it attempted to free itself from its prison, as if it needed some sort of release from the torture it felt in that moment. It couldn't control the emotions raging inside itself as the light burned brighter and brighter, so bright that the darkness writhed in pain and ceased its efforts.

 _"_ _We must wait and be patient. Once she understands who she is, once she understands her true potential is when we will make our move. We will take her body and continue what we started."_

Sighing in to itself the darkness consumed the light once more and turned to face the light off in the distance, its tortured soul screaming out to it as it threw itself in to the shadows. In silence it would wait for her to understand everything hidden inside her soul for, once she knew everything about her true self, it would have the key to unlock everything.

She had to understand…

She is the key…

She is everything…

It was nearly dark when Olivia made it to her home. Her earlier encounter with the Lieutenant had lost her a lot of time, time she'd wanted to spend jogging around her neighborhood before getting ready for bed but she put that thought to the back of her mind as she neared the gated entrance to her apartment complex. It wasn't too far of a walk from Central but enough of a distance away that she'd almost considered buying a car before she moved there; however, deciding against it was better for her in the long run. She enjoyed the scenery and the occasional talks with the vendors so, for the most part, she had nothing to complain about.

"I guess I'll go for a walk tomorrow," she said. Walking up to the front of the gate she pressed a button off to the side and waited for the attendant inside to buzz her in. After a few moments the gate clicked open just enough for her to slide through it. "I guess it's a good thing I'm skinny." She chuckled to herself as she squeezed through the tight entrance. When she finally made it through the gate forcefully shut behind her and nearly caught her off guard as a sleeve from her shirt nearly got caught in it.

"You ever gonna fix this thing old man!" she screamed, fuming as she stomped her way to the steps leading towards the tall building nearby. Obviously, no one heard her exclamation but she needed some way to vent her frustrations. The gate had been like this for a while now and it seemed as though as her complaints on the matter made everything worse. Rolling her eyes, she walked up to the door and forced it open; though, before she could even walk inside and take the stairs up to her room, she was greeted by a short, elderly man standing in front of her.

"Get out of the way old man," she huffed as she tried to move past him. In an almost annoying manner, the man matched all her moves and prevented her from breaking through.

"IS that how you greet your father, my dear Olivia?" he asked, a toothy smile erupting as he fell in to a fit of laughter. Noticing her frustration, he moved out of the way and watched as she marched inside, her feet erupting on the floor as she angrily threw herself on to one of the communal chair inside the living area. She'd wanted to simply run up to her room and rest but realized the exhaustion was far too great for her liking. She didn't even have the energy to make it that far. For a brief moment she thought about the reason why she was this tired but quickly thought about something a little less painful.

"For starters old man," she began as she reached for a pack of cigarettes in her pocket. "this daddy complex you have is really starting to creep me out." Lighting the cigarette, she puffed it for a few moments before sighing in relief as the nicotine relaxed her body. Letting her body relax in to the sofa, she kicked off her boots and placed one elbow behind her head as she lazily took another slow drag off her cigarette.

"You know those things will kill you," he replied, shaking his head as he walked to her. "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be smoking those things."

Scowling at him, she took another puff and, on purpose, blew the smoke in his face in an attempt to draw him away. It only strengthened his resolve to stick to her like glue, which was something she didn't need right now. As it was she'd stressed herself out thinking about where she'd be working tomorrow and honestly didn't want to deal with a group of people she didn't know. She knew she had to endure it and didn't want to go against the Fuhrer's orders but, as she fell in to her thoughts, knew she'd have to hide so much of herself from them. Certainly, she'd be a loyal as she could under the circumstance but could never reveal just how horrible she actually was. Shaking her head, she looked up at the man and sighed. When she had moved her thirteen years ago he'd been the first face she had seen that day, the first person who even gave her the time of day and actually listened to what she had to say. They didn't have the best relationship, seeing as he was a perverted as any single old man at his age could be. Despite all of his faults and disgusting actions around her, she found it rather comforting to talk to him. Even if all they did was argue back and forth, it still soothed her spirits in a way she couldn't understand.

"I only smoke a few a day," she said. Placing her cigarette in to a nearby ashtray, she placed her newly free hand behind her head and let out a loud yawn. "It's the only joy I have after a long day of work."

"So I take it the transfer went well?" he asked, almost begging for information as he sat down beside her. She was silent for a few moments before she rolled herself on to her side and grunted. For as old as she was she decided she'd act as immature as she wanted to in this moment. It was just the two of them so she didn't have to worry about appearing calm, cool, and collected now.

"The transfer is a waste of time!" she exclaimed, her hands consuming her face as she jerked her neck in frustration. Seeing as he was a civilian, she didn't want to go in to too much detail about everything but knew she could at least explain enough to help him understand a part of the story. "I normally don't work well with others. I can grin and bear it and even put on a smile when I'm around other people but I normally have a better time with things when I'm relying on myself to finish my work."

"But isn't it exciting to meet new people?" he asked, trying with all his might to calm me down. She'd slowed herself for a moment or two before crossing her arms over her chest and sighing.

"I don't have a problem with the people." She replied, safely wording what she said as she spoke. He didn't know enough about her to understand the real reason why she was afraid and, honestly, she preferred it that way. She could tell him almost everything about herself but there was a part buried deep inside her soul that she kept hidden from everyone, even herself. She couldn't risk other people knowing about how dangerous it all is. "Let's just say I was happy with the way things were."

"Where will that get you?" he asked, his beaten eyes digging in to my face. "Things always change. Sometimes those changes are good and sometimes they're bad but that's what makes life worth living. I've always appreciated the unexpected. It makes things more interesting." She shook her head. Sitting herself up, she held her hands and drew them up to her temple. Massing in to her forehead, she let out a soft sigh as her eyes darted towards the man.

"Interesting is a dangerous word." She replied. His eyes softened for a moment or two and, before rising from his chair, they lecherously scanned her body. As obvious as his actions were she'd gotten used to it so she didn't let it affect her as much as it did when he'd first laid eyes on her. "You're such a pervert."

Laughing, she rose from the couch and finally decided she had enough strength to make it to her room. Saying her goodnights to the man, she made her way to the stairs and walked up to the second floor. She was still exhausted so the thought of having a warm bed to curl up in almost made her whimper a little. She'd probably only get a few hours of sleep but the sleep she knew she'd get a little of still sent shivers down her spine.

Her apartment was very modest. The living room, if you could even call it that, consisted of a small sofa against the wall with a window right behind it. She had a small area rug in the middle of the room and a book shelf stood within a few steps from the couch. She didn't really have a kitchen; seeing as she normally ate most her meals outside the apartment, there was no need for the appliances that would turn it in to one. The only room she cared about was the one standing right in front of her: her bed room. It wasn't anything to brag about. She had her bed and also had the lamp standing right beside it. It was enough for her.

"Home sweet home," she said. Sighing, she walked in to her room and shut the door behind her. With her back against the door, she slid to the floor yawned. "This exhaustion is going to kill me. I hope I can at least get some sleep tonight. I'm so tired….so very tired." Before she could force herself to stand up a wave some sort fluttered throughout her body and drew her in to a soft slumber as she sat against the door. She needed her rest, needed it to calm her spirit but knew she wouldn't be able to succeed. The nightmares would come if she slept too long. She has to be careful.

She has no idea. Her world is about to change.


	5. Darkness

disclaimer: I down own it.

I have a new chapter and am happy to say that there is actually something really interesting in this one. I hope you guys like it!

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Night had finally come, silence echoing throughout the streets as Roy Mustang walked along a dimly lit sidewalk. Still clad in his uniform, an indicator that he hadn't gone home yet, he quietly trudged along the dark pavement. There was a certain worry in his eyes that effected his entire body. The stress spread like a cancer, making its way down his neck and in to his shoulders and was almost too much for him to bear. His stubborn attitude swallowed the pain and pushed it to the back of his mind, as if it would be a later thought for him to worry about once he got home.

Today's events had him somewhat on edge. The very idea of a new transfer to his team was almost unthinkable, something he would've refused had it not been a direct order from the Fuhrer. The very thought of someone disrupting everything he'd worked so hard on honestly made him sick to his stomach and was the very reason why he chose to have this lonely walk. When he and his Lieutenant had met the new recruit earlier that day he didn't know what to make of her and honestly thought very little of her when he'd seen how reckless she was inside her former office; however, her respectable attitude had somewhat cooled his anger about the situation and, after leaving with her file, thought very little about her character. Later that day, when he decided to open her file, he read many things that disturbed him. The files on Olivia Marx were cryptic and left him with more questions than answers. There wasn't a single word or phrase in her files that talked specifically about her, as if someone was trying to hide a very important piece of information from the rest of the world. His mind began to wander back to a certain paragraph he'd read about her service during the Ishvallan War.

May 16th _, 1908_

 _The Ishvallan War of Extermination has ended. Olivia Marx received multiple injuries and was discharged for three months due to the severity of her wounds._

Remembering his file well enough, he knew that his actions during the war were documented on a daily basis. There was enough information on him during the war to make it a file on its own, so he had a hard time understanding why her file didn't explain her role in Ishval. Every paragraph he read mentioned her name briefly, even mentioned the awards she'd received upon her return after the war but never explained why she received those honors. These documents should've been a window in to her soul, a way for him to relate to her on a more personal level after reading them. As his eyes scanned every word for some sort of insight in to her military life the enigma of her existence sent his mind in to a fit of frustration. She was a stranger. For a brief moment he earlier thought about attempting to draw out the information himself by asking her the questions he'd had on his mind all day; he, however, decided against this course of action. He couldn't expect her to reveal the truth. He honestly didn't know what to think about it. Perhaps he was overthinking everything but, based on his past experiences, hidden information was a matter not to be taken lightly.

As he walked, the thoughts he had on the matter kept rattling his nerves, so much that he barely had time to notice his Lieutenant walk up beside him. His was certainly quite startled as he turned to face her, his face illuminated by the lamplight shining overhead. The moment he saw her face, however, a calm wave collected those nerves and tossed them to the side. Ever since the battle with Father, she'd had that sort of effect on him. No matter where his thoughts would travel she always found a way to bring him back home, back to where his mind needed the be.

"Good evening Lieutenant," he replied. He noticed the leash in her hand, realizing he must've been spotted on her dogs nightly walk. "I see Hayate's getting some exercise?" Nodding, Riza drew her hand upon Hayate's head and began to scratch behind his ear.

"The two of you have something in common then," she replied, her eyes meeting up with his. The fact that he was still in uniform slightly caught her off guard; however, the fact that he was even out roaming the streets in the first place was enough to make her worry. "Have you been out here all day, sir?"

"I needed to get some air. I've had a few things on my mind today." He replied, yawning as his eyes turned towards a nearby bench. Sitting down, he motioned for Riza to come sit next to him and, as she did, Hayate forcefully jumped in to his lap.

"Hayate!" Riza shouted, her arms reaching around her dog's neck. Pulling him away, she sat him down on her lap and sighed as she looked in to Hayate's eyes. "What am I going to do with you?" she continued, playfully tapping Hayate on the nose. Once she'd calmed her dog down enough to her satisfaction, she turned to face her commanding officer. "What was on your mind, sir?"

He could see the concern in her eyes and almost allowed a smile to escape his lips as he faced her. He had no intention of worrying her with his thoughts on the matter but knew she'd find some way to drag his feelings to the surface. No matter how lost he was in himself she'd find a way to bring him back to reality and focus.

"I've been thinking about our new recruit," he replied. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on the sidewalk and the darkness that consumed it near the end of street. "After everyone left the office I decided to read her file."

"Did you learn anything about her, sir?" she asked, her eyes slightly sagging as she spoke. It was nearly time for her to go to bed so, by habit, her body began to somewhat shut down on her.

"That's what's strange, Lieutenant," he replied. He placed his hands on his forehead and sighed. The situation was frustrating, something he didn't want to deal. Looking her direction, he noticed the concern in her eyes grow in to something a little more dangerous. "Her files are deceitful."

"What do you mean, sir?" as she asked her question the tired look that had previously formed around her body had disappeared. She was alert, her eyes darting in every possibly direction. "What did you read?"

"I may be looking too deeply in to everything," he replied, another yawn breaking out of his mouth. "The notes barely talk about what she actually does for the military. They will mention her in passing, as if she's a side note in a report that should, in detail, explain every aspect of her military career. It feels like someone is hiding something." He placed his hands over his lap and sighed, one hand lowering to pat Hayate on the head. "Do you think I'm being Paranoid Riza?"

Blushing, he drew his hand away from Hayate and lowered his eyes to the ground. He didn't mean to slip up like that. He'd done a good enough job in the past calling her by her appointed title. He wasn't saying he didn't like saying her name; in fact, he loved the feel of it on his lips but wasn't at all prepared for her to hear him like that.

"Roy," she said, smiling as she spoke. She noticed his blush but thought nothing of it as she patted him on the shoulder and chuckled. "We're off duty so you shouldn't concern yourself with formalities."

"You're sure about that?" he asked. He wanted to test the waters with this but needed to make sure she wasn't simply luring him in to one of her traps. "You won't mind?"

"I don't mind. I've already said your name Roy; so why should you feel bad about saying mine?" His heart rate was slowly climbing as her eyes pierced in to his as she spoke. Before the battle with father two years ago they skirted around being familiar with each other. Certainly, they had their history together but they always kept things professional. They'd fallen in to an easy routine, one they could've kept up with had the events two years ago no occurred. It all changed after he saw that blade pierce her neck.

In the heat of the moment, when he realized she was going to die in front of him, all those thoughts he'd pushed to the side began to flood his mind and take control of his emotions. Until that terrifying day, he'd never thought about what life would be like without her by his side; after watching her in a pool of her own blood, her life drifting away before his eyes, he realized just how empty he'd be without her. She truly understood everything about him and could easily read in to most of his actions. She was, to put it lightly, his other half. He didn't understand the emotions he'd felt then but, after years of thought, he knew he cared deeply for her – enough to risk his life if it meant keeping hers alive and well.

"It's a hard habit to break," he said, his thoughts drifting away from the personal torment he'd willed himself in to. "I hardly ever call you by your first name so when I do it feels like I'm talking to someone else." Her body now slack against the back of the bench, Riza felt the draw of sleep calling her once more as she nodded her head.

"It's the same for me Si-Roy." Noticing a playful smirk play on to his lips, she shrugged her shoulders and softly kicked him on the knee. "As I was saying," she continued, his smirk still alive as she spoke. "We hardly ever have time to simply be ourselves. Most days we're Colonel Mustang and First Lieutenant Hawkeye. We've grown accustomed to being formal around each other so it's only natural we'd talk to each other that way."

"It certainly is, Lieutenant Hawkeye." The smirk he had on his face still hadn't disappeared, as if he was playing some ridiculous game that only Riza could understand. As tired as she was, she didn't want to join in on whatever he was doing but decided to play along for a few moments to satisfy his ego.

"We certainly are a pair, aren't we Colonel Mustang?" In as stoic a manner as humanly possible, she recited the words to him and saluted him abruptly after speaking the last word. She wanted to see how long it would take for him to break the expression on his face for, as it stood, his poker face was less than desirable. She doubted he could hold up for much longer. "Are you well prepared for tomorrow Sir?"

"As prepared as I will ever be, Lieutenant." He raised his brow for a moment before his eyes dared to stare in to hers and, as soon as he did, a loud fit of laughter erupted from his mouth. He wasn't too good at keeping a straight face around her and, just by witnessing the strict expression she'd given him, he broke in a matter of moments.

"You're too old for games Roy." Rising from the bench, she tugged at Hayate's leash and motioned for him to follow her. Facing away from him, she stared out towards the darkened street before her and sighed. She needed to get some rest. "I think It's time for me to head home Roy. I didn't sleep well last night so I'm in need of a good night's rest." Before she could begin her journey home, she heard a rustle from behind her and turned around to face Roy standing right in front of her.

"Riza," he began, his eyes drooping as he spoke. "Thank you."

"Whatever for?" she asked, confusion filling her eyes as she stared at him.

Before he could even mutter a single word a loud explosion erupted in the distance, a cloud of smoke filling the sky as it pushed its way towards them. Judging by the severity of the winds mixed in with the blast whatever caused it was certainly nearby. Roy, however, had no time to think about the perpetrator while he grabbed Riza and pushed her down on the ground. Tangled up in Hayate's leash, she attempted sit herself up but winced as a jolt of pain shot through her ankle.

"Riza!" Roy screamed, his hands searching her face for any sign of injury. Searching the rest of her body, he finally discovered her ankle and sighed in relief as he helped free her from Hayate's leash. She was okay. Riza was ok. HIS Riza was ok.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his arm sliding around her waist as he helped her sit up.

"Sir," she replied in as formal a manner as possible. "A sprained ankle won't be the death of me. We need to find out what happened."

"Are you okay waiting here while I check it out?" he asked. He knew she didn't like the idea of leaving him alone at a time like this. She needed to protect him but knew she couldn't walk on her ankle. Her eyes wide, she bit her lip and nodded her head.

"I may not like it but I have no other choice." She replied.

"I'll be okay."

"You better be." With that being said, Roy stood up and ran towards the direction of the explosion.

A few blocks down the road Roy, after running through and ungodly amount of dust and debris, came across a pothole in the middle of the road that had somehow been forced open. With no other options available, he walked over to it and stared down in to its dark depths before climbing down in to the sewers. He had no idea what to expect from this point. Though, once he actually reached his destination, he easily deduced that the explosion had to have started from this location. The smells were far too familiar, as if he could taste the nitroglycerin in his mouth. His nose could barely handle to stench because of how near he was to it but he had to persevere and find whoever committed this crime.

"You know," he began, his eyes searching through the darkness that surrounded his body. He put on his gloves, extremely grateful he'd remembered to bring them with him today. "Hiding won't do you any good. You certainly did a lot of damage up there. Care to explain yourself?"

Silence.

"So, you want to do this the hard way?" he asked. Clapping his hands together, he directed the flame against a nearby wall and shed some light on the darkness he'd earlier been consumed by. "I won't hesitate to kill you. Save yourself some unwanted pain and give up."

 _Never…. Flame Alchemist._

"I take it you know who I am then?" he asked, closely listening to the direction of the voice that spoke to him.

 _I've known you for a long time Roy Mustang…_

Roy's eyes jerked, his heart racing as the echoes of the voice spiraled around his body. It felt as if he couldn't move, his arms and legs frozen as the force around him slid down the nape of his neck and laughed. He lost his breath for a moment as an immense, unknown power dug in to his neck. It felt as if he were suffocating but, thankfully, the force around him drew back in to the flames he'd created along the wall. As his eyes looked to the fire dancing around him he noticed a black figure in the middle of it, hollow eyes playing on its features as it drew in the smoke from the fire and spiraled it around its feet; though, it seemed as though any form on this creature was one of its own doing, as if it had created its body with the elements surrounding them.

"What the hell are you?" Roy asked. He tried to lift his arms, tried to focus another flame towards the figure, and almost succeeded in his attempt but lost his chance when the figure within the flames shot out a blast of dark matter towards his arms and legs. They felt like chains against his body, unable to move as his body writhed in pain. Grinding his teeth, he, his eyes narrow and bold, pulled against the power around him and tried to break free. "Are you a homunculus?" he asked. He shut his eyes for a moment, the pain almost too much for him to stand as the figure laughed before him.

 _You know so much yet understand so little._

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!" he shouted. In a fierce display, the power around his body pushed him against the wall, his back nearly breaking in two as it cracked against the hard surface. He couldn't hide the pain he was in now, lost in the sensations that were dripping out of his mouth as he shook in fear. He had no idea what was going on. He thought all the Homunculus were dead, that they destroyed them and their creator two years ago. Obviously, he was mistaken for, before him, stood a power strong enough to rival the monsters he'd faced during the battle with Father; though, he couldn't place his finger on it, something was different about this enemy.

"I thought we killed your kind two years ago," he said, teeth shaking as he spoke. "Tell me, has your Father returned?"

 _I have no father. I created myself, created everything…I am everything Roy Mustang._

"What are you talking about!"

 _Soon, Flame Alchemist, everything will fall in to place. You are one piece of the puzzle, a player in a game far larger than you and your country. Nothing will prepare you for the darkness that is about to consume the world._

"EXPLAIN YOURSELF!" Roy screamed. The chains that bound his body began to dig in to his skin. He could no longer contain the agonizing screams erupting from his mouth. It felt as though someone or something had torn a whole inside his chest and squeezed out the air within his lungs. Losing the ability to breath, or even stand on his own two feet, he fell to the ground as his body began to seize. There was a terror in his eyes that flowed down in to the rest of his body as he attempted to move his arms around. The darkness surrounding him, amidst the flames, covered his body and consumed his broken spirit. He'd lost, everything was over now – and he was terrified.

 _You will lose everything._

 _Everything you love will perish._

 _I hope you're ready to die Flame Alchemist._

 _Colonel Mustang…. Sir…. it's time to wake up..._

His eyes jerked open, his body slack against the bench he'd earlier been sitting in with Riza and Hayate. Looking to his right, he noticed her familiar face and sighed. It had only been a dream though it felt all too real to him as he stared in to her eyes. There were beads of sweat rolling down his face and he seemed a little out of sorts as he looked down at Hayate and smirked.

"How long was I out?" he asked while patting Hayate on the head.

"I honestly don't know sir. I found you sleeping here just a few moments ago." She replied as she tugged at Hayate's leash. "I thought it wise to stay with you until you woke up."

 _So it was all a dream_ he thought. He scratched the top of his head and yawned. "I must've been really tired."

"I would assume as much, sir, seeing as you're still in your uniform." She looked a little worried, the concern in her eyes obvious as he stood up from the bench and yawned once more.

"I think I'll be heading home Lieutenant. We have a long day tomorrow." He started to walk away but was stopped in his tracks as her hand reached out for the back of his neck. He was started for a moment but calmed himself as he turned to face her.

"What is it Lieutenant?" he asked.

"Is everything ok, Sir?" she knew him well enough to know he had something on his mind but didn't want to draw too much out of him this late at night. She wanted him to be in the right frame of mind before she asked him the questions that were rolling around in her head. "You seem a little off tonight."

"I just had a bad dream, nothing to worry yourself over." He replied.

"I always worry sir. It's part of my job."

"Well, take the night off and worry about yourself for once." He didn't mean for that statement to sound rude but the look in her eyes after he spoke told him she'd received it as such when she started to back away from him. "Look," he continued, his eyes softening as he stared at her. "That was a rude. I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I'm just tired."

"Well," she began, taking his hand and placing it down by his side. "get home and get some rest. Hopefully you'll feel better in the morning. After all, you need to actually show up on time if you want to make a good impression on the new recruit."

"I thought that was your job Lieutenant." He said, smirking at her as he started to walk away.

"The reality of what you just said sir is depressing." Huffing, she turned away and decided to finish Hayate's walk for the night before going to her home and going to bed. She still had a lot on her mind but didn't want to think about it right now. The thoughts were far too depressing for her to dwell on at the moment and she honestly needed enough sleep for tomorrows busy schedule. Off in the distance, as Riza's body faded in to the darkness of the night, a figure in the shadows kept a close eye.

 _The darkness will soon come._


	6. The First Day

DISCLAIMER: Don't own...NEVER WILL :(

Here I am with another chapter! It's almost twice as long as my other ones! I actually made it through the first day lol. I'm excited to say that the pace in finally picking up. I really hope you guys like this story. IF you do like it please review.

* * *

Olivia never intended to fall asleep against her door, never wanted the monsters to invade her dreams as she sat there with her head titled to the side. Sweat played along the corners of her forehead, a pained expression drawn out on her face as her body shook violently, or at least as much as it could in the position she was in. Unable to control her movements, her hands acted of their own accord, sliding up against the wooden frame of the door and pounding in to it as the nightmare in her head tortured her mind.

"Please," she pleaded, speaking to the air as her she wiggled her legs. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to cause so much pain…. I'm…. please no…" A stream of tears flowed from her eyes, staining the floor as her body fell to the side, her arms folding around her waist as she a soft scream escaped her lips. "Please let me die! I can't handle the screams anymore! It's too much! STOP!" In a frantic attempt to escape the fear inside her mind, she crawled about the floor, her nails digging in to the wooden cracks as she headed towards the center of the room. Still shaking, her body tossed and turned violently and, as she arched her back, a blue light formed around her body as she lay on her back. Her cries, still as violent as they were before, died in her throat as her eyes opened abruptly, her head resting against an arm as her eyes looked to the foot of her bed nearly inches away from her.

"How much did I sleep last night?" Helping herself up, she looked to the clock near the door and gasped in surprise. Holding herself, she clenched her jaw as she shook her head in disbelief. It was nearly seven in the morning. She still had time to get to work, seeing as the day started at eight but knowing she'd slept through the night left a bad taste in her mouth.

"I can't afford to be so reckless," she said, her arms tightening around her waist. "I can't let anyone see what I am."

She avoided sleep at all costs. Every time she slept, even just for a few hours, the memories of her days during the war would captivate her mind and bind her to the emotions of that fateful day. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd had an honest dream. All she had were twisted visions of the lives she'd taken that day, their tortured souls screaming out to her and warping the sanity she'd work so hard to keep intact. It didn't even feel like a nightmare. It felt like she was in a different world, a dark purgatory for only her eyes to focus on as she slept. It had no form, no ground for her to stand on, just an endless descent in to the madness of this chaotic hell. She'd just have to push herself to stay away from this place as much as humanly possible, would have to focus on the rest she'd receive at work and try her best to keep herself awake. She hated visiting that place. Each time she found herself in the darkness it felt like a piece of her mind stayed behind, leaving her a broken mess when she awoke. She wouldn't allow this to break her. She would preserve. After all, she brought this madness on to herself and couldn't complain about the side effects.

" _You need to put on your mask,"_ she thought, eyes clenched as she walked to the mirror next to her bed. As her eyes opened, she stared at the mess before her and sighed, disgusted with the look of her body as she eyed her disheveled appearance. Taking in a long breath, she heaved her chest and did her best to play with the fake smile she gave everyone outside this room, everyone besides the old man. _"You are a good soldier, the best soldier, and we don't cry. We don't let anyone in so put on that face of yours and smile like you mean it. Pretend to be ok."_

She had spent so much time perfecting her image that the person she was before had been long forgotten in her memories. She hoped that by pretending to be a different person, a person with love and hope in her heart, that the efforts would change her in to someone else – would erase everything she'd done; but, sadly, it only reminded her of how lost she truly was and how different she was from everyone else. There were her two selves, good and bad, and the person inside – what she truly wanted to be – was caught somewhere in the middle screaming to get out. Shaking her head, she dropped her hands to her side and began to get ready for work. She had a lot to do today, a lot of new people to meet, and needed to make sure they were impressed with the way she carried herself.

* * *

As it was every day, Riza arrived to work sharply at seven-thirty that morning, a manila folder resting between her arm as she walked to her desk. Sitting down, she opened up the file and began to get to work, her eyes never wavering from the report. The file in question was given to her by Colonel Mason a few moments after she arrived to work that day. He seemed all too eager to hand her the file, as if he was getting rid of something he no longer wanted to possess. Needless to say, it roused some suspicion in her mind; but, as she looked through the file on her desk, she became irritated with what she was reading.

"So," she mumbled, still scanning through the pages. "It looks like we're taking over all of the Colonel's operations." Her eyes focused on the pages, memorizing every detail before her. By the look of things, she could easily tell he didn't travel much since they kept his activities inside Amestris but the amount of work he had to do inside the country was astonishing. Most of what he had on his plate revolved around various construction sites within central and the contracts the military had with the engineers responsible for building them and also had to make sure there weren't any threats around the area. What struck her as odd, was the amount of military involvement needed for this operation. The documents never explained what they were building, which also unsettled her as she read. She figured she'd simply have to look in to the matter herself before making any wild assumptions.

Before she knew it, the rest of the team began to pile in to the room, each soldier taking their respective desk before starting their work for the day. The tallest of the group, as he did every day, reached in to his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. As he placed it in his mouth, gave a welcoming nod towards Riza before blowing a puff of smoke her way.

"Good Morning Lieutenant Hawkeye," he said, his body slack against the chair as he smoked. "Early as usual, I assume."

"Your assumptions are correct Lieutenant Havoc. Unlike some people I prefer to get an early start on my paperwork." Her face, stoic and bland, silently stared at the files on her desk as Havoc rolled his eyes and placed a hand over his chest.

"I resent that statement Hawkeye. I'm at least on time." He looked at his watch, then to Riza, and then at the door before continuing. "It's after eight and the Colonel still hasn't shown up."

"You should be used it by now Havoc. Besides, with as much work as he has every day, I don't fault him for showing up a little late." Never once did her eyes leave the pages as she spoke to him, her mind trained to focus no matter what the situation; she, however, didn't have the time to notice Roy when he walked inside and up to her desk.

"What should I be used to Lieutenant?" He asked, his eyes looking down on her body as she skimmed through the folder. "I didn't hear much of the conversation between you and Havoc but I assume he must've been whining about something."

"I don't whine," Havoc replied, scowling as he pulled a pencil out from his desk and began to run through the paperwork lying next to him. "I just…it's just…hell…never mind."

"Whining," Roy retorted as he walked over to his desk and sat down. "You shouldn't complain all the time Havoc. It's bad for your health."

"Well," Havoc replied, his pencil breaking on to the paper as he stared over at the Colonel. "If you would show up on time I wouldn't have a reason to complain! For all we know, you were out on another one of your dates again, right. Who was it this time Colonel? Did you finally cave and go out with the secretary on the second floor?"

"What makes you so sure I was on a date last night?" Roy asked, his eyes focusing on Riza for a moment before looking back to Havoc. "I don't go out a much as you think I do."

"Well, for starters," he began, pointing at a red mark on his wrist. "It looks like you got a little too friendly with someone last night." Rolling his eyes, he began smoking another cigarette while signing off some of the paperwork on his desk. Though he seemed focused on his work, he'd mumble under his breath his frustrations towards the colonel. He just didn't know why these women were so attracted to someone as idiotic as Roy Mustang. Though he wasn't as good with the ladies, he felt like he should at least have a better chance at catching a girl than him. It was all too annoying.

Startled, Roy looked at his wrists and noticed the rashes forming around them. It made him think about his dream and what had happened in it. He remembered being chained to some sort of power, something strong to render his movements useless. Knowing it was just a dream, he pushed it aside and assumed the rashes had to have happened some other way. Focusing his eyes once more on Riza's calm and collected body, he thought about how she'd stayed by his side on the bench last night and how happy he was to have her there with him. If it had been any other person, he would've certainly been embarrassed; but, with here there with him, it somehow felt peaceful knowing that this person whom he cared so deeply for respected him enough to wait by his side. Before his mind could wander towards the inappropriate thoughts he normally had about her every day, the door leading outside quickly opened in a rushing fury, the files on Havoc's desk flying about the room as the wind forced against it.

"What the hell!" Havoc shouted as a piece of paper flew in to his face. Clutching the paper, he slid it under his eyes and looked towards the door and nearly fell over as the sight of a beautiful woman stood before him. Almost instantly, he rose from his chair and walked over to her, his hands grabbing hers as he looked in to her confused eyes. "What's a pretty girl like you doing here?"

Blinking her eyes, Olivia stared at him for a moment before releasing an awkward sigh. With her hands still being held by his, she turned to face Roy and, with a look of guilt adorning her features, she bowed her head in shame. "I'm so sorry for being late sir."

"Do you have an excuse, Lieutenant Marx?" He asked, his eyes unwavering as he witnessed the scene unfold. As irritating as it was to have her late on her first day, the actions Havoc engaged in upon her arrival were far more frustrating. "Havoc, could you please take your hands off our new recruit?"

As if on cue, Havoc dropped his hands away from hers and walked back to his desk, a slight blush forming on his face as he sat down. He'd just made a fool out of himself and knew she was probably just as shocked as he was from the way he acted around her.

"I have no excuses sir. All I can do is say it won't happen again." She was lying to herself as she spoke the words. She could've made it to work on time, could've been earlier than the rest of the team but was so lost in her own depressing world that she'd lost track of the time. Before she knew it, after finishing her preparations for the day, it was already half past eight.

"See to it that it doesn't Lieutenant." Pointing a hand towards the empty seat next to Havoc's, a defeated look overcame his features as he continued his speech. "Until we can get you a proper desk you'll have to share with Havoc. Are you ok with this Lieutenant?"

"Of course sir," she replied as she walked to the desk and sat down. Havoc nearly fell out of his seat as he stared in to her adorable eyes, almost chocking on his cigarette as he noticed the smile adorning her beautiful face. _Dear god…she's so fucking cute. Is Mustang punishing me or something. How am I gonna get through the day!_

"Hello," she said, eyes shining brightly as she tilted her head to the side and smiled. "My name is Olivia. It's a pleasure to meet you." The display before him was too much for him to handle as the cigarette fell from his mouth and on to his lap. Quickly, he brushed it on to the floor and began to stomp on it violently, his eyes teeming with anger as he stared towards the Colonel. Before his anger could rise, Olivia erupted in to a fit of laughter as she stared at the ashes on Havoc's uniform. Composing himself, he took her hand in his and began to shake it, shivers of electricity jolting throughout his body as he looked at her smiling face.

"The names Jean Havoc." Pointing over towards his teammates, he took his hand away from hers and scratched the top of his head. "Over there we have Fury, Breda, and Fallman."

"Pleasure to meet you miss."

"Nice to meet you."

"Yup."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," she replied, giggling as she looked upon their faces. She had to play a part, had to convince them she was someone else, someone other than the tormented soul she faced that morning. She'd have no cracks in her disposition. She would be strong and make them believe in her lies. "It's indeed a great honor being a part of your team." Nodding her head, she pulled out a stopwatch from her pocket and proceeded to walk over to Roy's desk, almost shaking as stared in to his eyes.

"Lieutenant Marx," he began, eyes focused on the item in her hands. "Do you have something to ask me." Shaking her head, she handed him the watch and quickly walked back to her desk. Taking the watch in to his hands, he stared in shock as he turned it over and revealed the State Alchemist insignia on top of it.

"WHAT THE HELL!" he screamed, shoving the watch off the desk as he marched over to her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he tightened his hold on her and clenched his teeth together, almost annoyed with the secret she'd hidden from him. "Why didn't Colonel Mason tell me you were a State Alchemist?"

Smiling, she stared up in to his eyes and looked toward the watch laying out on the ground, almost angry with how he had handled the device.

"For starters," she began, looking over at Havoc and the rest of the group. "I'm not a State Alchemist anymore. Second, Colonel Mason doesn't have the proper authorization to give out that kind of information."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked, his eyes narrow as he looked over at the window.

"There are certain aspects of a person's life that need to be private sir. I'm merely allowing you to understand something personal about who I am. Please don't make me regret it." She had to at least let him understand this aspect of her life. Knowing him, he'd eventually find out own his own so, rather than waiting until he uncovered it all in secret, she bit the bullet and told him about her alchemy.

Understanding finally made its way across Roy's face as he stared in to her eyes. Knowing his reputation as the Flame Alchemist, if given the chance, he'd hide the fact that he had the ability to wield such power. It only made sense that she kept that part of her life a mystery, only allowing people in when absolutely necessary. Still, he couldn't hide the thoughts in his head as he noticed the small tremors forming around the smile she held on her lips, as if she was doing her best to pretend to enjoy the company she was in. He was so confused about the entire situation.

"Sir," she began, eyes never moving from his, almost pleading with him to stop his questions. "If you have any questions about my past, feel free to read my file. Everything you need to know about me is in those pages." Her eyes moved back to the watch, narrowing as she stared at the design on the front. She couldn't contain the memory that invaded her mind as the silver shined against the sunlight beating through the blinds. "If you still have any questions about my past, feel free to ask me them in private. However, you may not like the way I answer them."

Startled, Roy turned his back to her and walked back to his desk. Honestly, he respected her answer but didn't like the results of the conversation. She basically told him she'd lie to his face and even had the nerve to say it in front of the team. He admired her strength but knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he'd have to earn her trust and respect before getting the truth out of her. He noticed the cracks in her smiles, noticed the mask she had on her face as she looked in to his face and, through her words, realized she was hiding something from him. It might take some time on his part but he knew it was worth the effort. He'd get the truth out of her and hopefully gain a loyal follower in the process.

As she sat at her desk Olivia couldn't help but feel she'd gone too far with the watch, as if she should've waited to hand it to him but a part of her knew she had to do it now. Though she didn't understand her reasons, it felt like the right things to do. Still, she couldn't shake the feelings that were entering her body as she laughed along with her new teammates and listened to their conversations throughout the day. They felt like a true family and she could only sit and watch this family get along in a way that was almost foreign to her. She didn't belong here. She didn't fit in.

"Olivia…. Olivia are you in there?" Fury asked, waving a hand in front of her face. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Huh?" She looked at the confused expression on his face and giggled. "I guess I was lost there for a moment. What were you saying again?"

"We were wondering if you'd like to get a drink with the team after work?" Still focused on his work, he waited for her reply as he jotted a few notes down. "You don't have to go but we figured It'd be a nice gesture, with you being new and all."

"Well," she began. She thought about it for a moment before her eyes drew towards Havoc and noticed the sweat dripping down his forehead. "I guess I have time for a few drinks. Will you be there Lieutenant?" Breaking yet another pencil, he looked at her and slowly nodded his head, almost afraid to answer her question as he drew his head back to his work.

 _He's really cute_ she thought, a blush staining her cheeks as she looked away from him. _He looks so nervous though. Probably because he isn't used to having another woman on the team._

"Lieutenant Havoc," she began, her arm slowly patting him on the shoulder. As he turned to face her, the blush on his face was still apparent as she looked at the trembling man before her. "You don't have to be nervous around me."

"I'm not nervous...what do you mean…I…. oh great…" he plunged his head in to his notes and, attempting to draw himself away from her smiles, hid himself under his hands. "You must think I'm a complete idiot."

"Not really."

"Really. Why do you say that Lieutenant? I don't work well around women."

"Lieutenant Havoc. I suggest you rephrase that sentence." Riza said from across the room. "I'm a woman after all." Reaching for the gun inside her coat, she aimed it at him and gave him a daunting smirk.

"As I said," he spoke, his head never moving from the desk. "I don't work well around women." Lifting his head from the desk, he resumed his work, the blush from before still blazing on his face as he scanned through the files on his desk.

"As long as I'm included in that statement, I'm fine." She replied as she put her gun away and returned to her work.

As Olivia witnessed the scene unfold she released a soft chuckle from her lips before opening the files on her desk. Scanning through the pages, she quickly got to work on the files they gave her to read over. Easily enough, she blasted through the work an hour earlier than everyone else in the room. As she looked at the clock, she noticed it was only eleven and sighed as she fumbled about in her chair. She knew she was good with this kind of work but didn't want to finish that early. As she looked at the rest of the group, she realized they still had quite a way to go, so she figured she might be able to help them later; she, however, wanted to take a moment to rest her eyes but realized it'd be improper to do so in front of her teammates. It was different issue entirely with Colonel Mason. Most day's she found herself alone in the office while she worked and found enough time to rest throughout the day. With all these people around, she'd have to find another way get the sleep she needed, another way to avoid the nightmares that haunted her mind.

Rising from her seat, she picked up the files and walked over to Roy's desk and sat the files in front of him, her eyes smiling at him as she began to walk away from him. He looked a little shocked as he opened the folder and skimmed through the pages. Turning to look at Riza, he noticed she still had a few files to read through and was slightly impressed with the way Olivia handled her paperwork.

"Lieutenant?" He asked, stopping her in tracks as she headed for the door. "I'm impressed."

Facing away from him, she looked at the confused expressions on their faces as she placed her hand on the doorknob.

"Thank you, sir."

"Where are you going?" He asked.

She wasn't prepared for this. When she worked for Colonel Mason she had no one the answer to and never had to ask permission to leave the office. Now, surrounded by all these people, she didn't feel as free as she did before today. It was unsettling her but she suffered through it as she turned around to face him.

"Sorry," she explained, almost ashamed of herself as she looked at him. "It's a bad habit of mine…tends to happen when you only have yourself to answer to. Do you mind if I take an early lunch, sir?"

"You have my permission."

"Thank you." Turning around, she walked away from him and continued outside the door. With her finally out of the picture, Havoc finally came out of the daze he was in and turned to face Roy, fuming as he stormed over to his desk.

"What the hell is all this!" he screamed as he slammed his fist down on to the table. "Am I being punished for something!"

"What are you talking about?" Roy asked, sliding Havoc's hand away as he idly worked on his paperwork.

"She's too fucking pretty. How do you expect me to get any work done with her around all the time?" As flustered as he was as he spoke, he realized the absurdity behind his questions as he looked away from the desk and sighed. Before he could walk back to his desk, he noticed the lethal look on Riza's face as she stood up and walked over to him. Frozen, he stared at her as a small bead of sweat slid down his face.

"I'm not saying you aren't pretty Lieutenant," he said, trying with all his might to keep her anger at bay. He didn't know how to word the thoughts in his head, so he decided to keep his mouth shut. That was the best option for him at the moment.

"I don't care about the Havoc!" Sighing in relief, he attempted to walk away from her but was surprised when her hand grabbed for his shoulder and forced him to face her. "Listen to me and listen well, Lieutenant Havoc, the fact that she's a woman shouldn't be an issues. You should be able to get your work done on time and, if you cannot do that simple task, I'll provide you with the proper motivation."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'll do my best Lieutenant."

"You better, or else."

Standing against the door, Olivia could hear the outburst and nearly doubled over while she listened to the argument. Had she not had a more pressing matter to attend to, she could've stood there during her "lunch hour" simply listening to Havoc complain; but, as she'd earlier decided to rest, she walked away and searched for a room to sleep in. Before she could even begin that journey, a familiar face walked up beside her and nearly ripped her arm off as it wrapped around her.

"OLIVIA!" Zumi exclaimed, slightly surprised to see her friend here. "Since when do you work here."

"I was transferred here yesterday. I'm working with Roy Mustang's team now." Zumi's eyes fell to the floor as she listened to Olivia, nearly screaming in excitement as she gave her friend a quick hug.

"You work with Roy Mustang! I'm so jealous. Are you excited?" Shaking her head, they walked together, arm in arm, down the hall way and towards the cafeteria. The irritation Olivia had was slightly obvious, seeing as she really wanted to sleep but realized those efforts were now in vain as they walked in to the cafeteria and retrieved their lunches.

"So," Zumi said as she sat her tray down at their table. "What are your teammates like?"

As Olivia bit in to her sandwich, she grabbed for the water next to her and took a drink before wiping her face and sighing. She didn't care too much for the conversation they were having at the moment but decided to do her best to be nice to her friend. They were close enough but she had other things on her mind. She needed her rest. If she couldn't find the time to take at least a small nap, she'd find herself in a situation she didn't need to be in. Sighing in defeat, she continued on with the conversation and gave in. She'd just have to force herself to stay awake.

* * *

The rest of the day went as smoothly as possible for Olivia. Since she had finished most of work she decided to help the team finish up with the rest of they had left. They all but jumped at the opportunity and, by closing time, had enough time to clean up the mess on their desks before retiring for the day. Olivia had wanted to stay behind for a bit and catch up on some rest before making her way to the bar that the rest of the team would be going to but noticed that Havoc was still sitting next to her.

 _Just great. Why can't I get any peace? I need to sleep but I can't do it with him around. This is so frustrating! JUST SO FRUSTRATING!_ As she was lost in her thought, she never noticed Havoc watching the expression she made in front of him. She didn't mean to slip up but the nervous feelings throughout the day had finally caught up to her and were on display for one of her teammates. She was certainly having a horrible day. Blushing, she turned away from him and crossed her arms.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, huffing as she clicked her boots against the floor. Shaking his head in confusion, havoc scratched the top of his head before reaching for yet another cigarette. As he took a drag from it, he winked at her, the red from before playing all over his face as he laid his feet on top his desk and sighed.

"Having a rough day Lieutenant?" he asked

"As if you would know," she replied. She looked at the pack of cigarettes on the table and sighed, the need for her daily smoke taking over her body. She decided to throw caution to the wind as she looked towards Havoc. "Would you mind," she continued, her eyes motioning to the pack. "I don't smoke much but I really think I need one."

"You smoke?" he asked. He handed her a cigarette and, as he watched her smoke in front of him he chuckled.

"In response to your first question Lieutenant, I am having an awful day. I normally only smoke after work but the stress is starting to get to me" She replied, her nerves now a little calmer as the nicotine set in to her system.

"Care to explain why?" Cautiously, Olivia studied his body before thinking about the situation she was in. She needed to be careful with her words but, for some reason, felt comfortable around him. It was difficult, always pretending to be someone else and she needed a way to vent out her frustrations. It was like she didn't care around him. They'd only just met but she felt an urge within her, a need to be different around him. Why couldn't she understand it! It was all so frustrating. With a sour look still drawn out on her face, Havoc proceed to poke at her cheek for a moment before patting her on the shoulder.

"What was that for!" she exclaimed. Glaring at him, she stuck her nose up in the air, the irritation on her face so painful it made her want to cry out in frustration. Sighing, she turned back to face him and continued to smoke her cigarette. "The transfer is really starting to get to me. I'm not used to being around so many people. For the longest time I was by myself. Being around this many people really unsettles me." Satisfied with the response she gave him, she in to his eyes and noticed the smile playing on his lips.

"It's only common for you to feel that way," he replied. Placing his cigarette in to the ash tray on the desk, he rested his hands behind his head and let out a loud yawn. "I will admit it was kinda funny to see you react like that."

"I don't normally act that way. I'm just frustrated and really need some sleep. I don't sleep well at night so I use my lunch break to rest."

"I take it you didn't get your beauty sleep."

"Nope. A friend of mine decided to ambush me before I could even make it away from the office. We spent the remainder of my lunch hour talking about just how wonderful it is to work with one of best units at central." Havoc couldn't help but smile as he thought about just how true that statement was. "I figured I'd at least get to rest a while in the office before heading out to the bar but…" Looking away from him, a guilty expression falling on to her face, she drew out a yawn and sighed.

"Rest if you want to." Looking back at him in shock, she noticed his eyes were closed, his body relaxing in to the chair as he made his legs more comfortable on the desk. "I need a little sleep myself so by all mean, go ahead and rest." Blushing, she nodded and proceeded to rest her head against the table, the stress of the day finally leaving her body as she stared up at Havoc.

"Thanks."

"Anytime. Besides, the team really wants to get to know you a little better. Someone needs to be here to wake you up."

"You're sleeping as well Lieutenant. Doesn't that defeat the purpose." Chuckling, she closed her eyes and allowed the sleep to draw her mind away.

"Just shut up and go to sleep. I'll wake you up in about an hour ok."

"If you say so."


End file.
